Freeze-drying is a case in point—a technology so fundamental to modern medicine that its absence would have rewritten the twentieth century, yet so invisible that few know its name or its makers.

Freeze-drying, also known as lyophilization, is a form of dehydration. Food is first frozen, then dried under pressure to remove its water content. It is widely believed that freeze-drying is the best ...

“In today’s world, emails are often sent by computer and conversations take place via telephone and chat, but new demands are likely to increase. I’m glad I’m thin and light myself.” Written in ...